As Fiji reviews its constitution, a leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Pacific Area is calling on the nation’s leaders to preserve and strengthen constitutional protections that safeguard religious freedom for all people.
Following the example of Church President Dallin H. Oaks, who has spoken on religious freedom for decades, Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, a General Authority Seventy from Fiji and president of the Church’s Pacific Area, addressed the topic on July 27, according to the Church’s Pacific Newsroom.
Elder Wakolo said religious freedom is one of the most important rights protected in any democratic society.
“Religious freedom is not just a right for people of faith. It is a right for every citizen.”
— Elder Taniela B. Wakolo
“Religious freedom is not just a right for people of faith,” he said. “It is a right for every citizen. It includes the freedom to worship, the freedom not to worship and the freedom for people of different beliefs to live together with mutual respect and dignity.”
Elder Wakolo said Fiji’s tradition of religious diversity has strengthened the nation, fostering social harmony and community service for generations.
“People of many faith traditions have helped build Fiji,” he said. “They serve their neighbors, strengthen families, care for the vulnerable and contribute to the well-being of our nation. Constitutional protections that allow people to live according to their sincerely held beliefs should be carefully preserved.”
Elder Wakolo noted that constitutional protections for religious liberty allow individuals and communities to contribute freely to the common good — benefiting not only religious organizations but society as a whole.
“The measure of religious freedom is not how well it protects the majority,” he said. “It is how well it protects everyone. A just and peaceful society ensures that people of every faith, and those of no faith, are treated equally under the law.”
Elder Wakolo said religious freedom creates space for respectful dialogue, cooperation and peaceful coexistence, principles that have served Fiji well and should continue to guide its future.
“Religious freedom flourishes when people protect the rights of others as carefully as they protect their own,” he said. “That principle is essential to the future of Fiji and to the well-being of all its people.”
